Also trying different
modem strings, computer tweaks, browser
settings, or software settings may not significantly increase dial
up speed, and can be risky to try. If you achieve a faster
dial up connection due to a modem tweak, there may have been something
wrong
with the modem settings to begin with.
There is a difference between a making a modem faster and
making the internet faster. Its much easier and cheaper knowing how to
make your internet faster. None of the steps I've outlined below
require technical know how. Take a break from scouring the internet for
strings to make your modem faster.
1.
If your dial up connection speed is 33.6k or less, its very
possible your house in wired to a repeater. Phone signals will
weaken as they travel over phone lines. A repeater will amplify a phone
signal. Once amplified, it can be split to service additional
distant residences such as in a rural area. This network architecture
will decrease a dial up connection markedly lower than
56k speed.
2.
Download a computer system cleaning tool. These are free
programs
that remove the normal junk
(e.g. tracking
cookies)
collected
while surfing. Removing
cookies on a computer regularly will make dial up faster. System cleaning tools will also remove temporary
Internet files,
clean up your
computers registry. Some computer cleaning tools even optimize your
dial
up settings. Computer
cleaning tools do not remove
malware or viruses.
3.
Download a
free malware removal
program. You're much more likely to
download malware than
a virus, they are different. Anti malware
programs are much smaller than anti virus programs, and will be
less
problematic to download and update over dial up networking. Malwarebytes
is one of the best, free anti
malware programs out there.
4.
Use a browser other than microsoft Internet Explorer. Unfortunately
over time Internet Explorer
has been the target of many malware and
virus programs, as was Outlook express. Using other
free
Internet
browsers such as Firefox, Opera, Safari or Google Chrome, will inherently
lessen the
likelihood of downloading malware.
5.
Now you are using a new browser and malware free. There is no
need for
anti virus programs
to be running in real time constantly
scanning for viruses, so turn it off. Anti virus programs running in
real time use alot of resources. Turning it off will result in a faster computer, and make windows faster.
6.
Keep Malware and anti virus programs up to date
in the
event you do pick up anything malicious, then make Malware scans
offline. There isn't enough bandwidth available in dial up to
download an anti Malware program while your computer is infected.
7.
Avoid using email clients like outlook express. Instead register for a
free web based email account at Yahoo or Google (Gmail). Malware uses
email clients to travel around and infect other computers. Web based
email is scanned for Malware free, then stored on remote computer
servers. Just another tactic to avoid Malware and viruses altogether
8. Be sure you have
high speed internet dial up included on your Internet service provider account. High
speed dial up costs approximately $5/month extra on average. I pay $10/month at BasicISP, that
includes high speed dial up. Beware of ISP's who promise dial up speeds equaling DSL. Accelerated
dial up does not increase download speed.
9.
Stop flash video
from playing when arriving at a website. Flash video files are normally
large. They take a very long time to download on a slow dial up connection.
Firefox has a small add-on that when installed will block flash video
content from downloading unless you want it to. You can also uninstall
adobe flash video player altogether from your computer.
10.
Close file sharing programs (e.g. Limewire) when you are not using
them. Nothing eats up bandwidth faster than a dozen people
simultaneously downloading files from your computer. A file sharing
program can install itself to run when your computer boots up. If you
don't need it to do this, go to the file sharing programs settings and
change it to prevent the program from loading on computer
startup. A forgotten file sharing program will drastically make dial up slow.
As you can see all the tips shown above are free to try. Though this site was
intended to aid dial up networking users, much of the the information provided here
can be applied to any internet connection....DSL, Cable,
Satellite...etc. It takes some prior set up to
make dial up faster, but you'll surprised how quick and stable
browsing the web via dial up networking can be.
